Mind Your Own Business
by AJsRandom
Summary: One-shot. Takes place during 2x13. What would happen if Merlin told Arthur who his father is, instead of dodging the question? Merlin with backbone! No slash, very mild swearing, boys being boys.


**A/N- This idea popped into my head one day, and I decided to see where it would go. It takes place near the beginning of 2.13, ****_The Last Dragonlord_****, when the boys are checked into the inn and getting ready for bed. The dialog is from that episode, altered by me. Oh, I sadly don't own _Merlin_. *sniff***

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**Mind your own business**

By the end of that miserable day I was ready for sleep to numb me. Or at least have a break from Arthur's prodding glances so I could think _alone_. Alas not.

"What's the matter with you today?" Arthur intruded into my thoughts.

"What?"

"It hurts me to admit it, but I do enjoy your surly retorts. In fact, it's probably your only worthwhile characteristic." _Surly?_

"Thanks." I think. I attempted to turn away, hoping he'd get the hint.

"There are plenty of servants who can serve. So few are adept at making a total prat of themselves. What is it?" Unbelievable. I shook my head. I think you've got it backwards, _prat_.

"Nothing."

"It's something. Tell me." Nope, get the hint—here's some silence. "Alright, I know I'm a prince, so we can't be friends. But if I wasn't a prince . . ."

"What?" _Honestly?_ He didn't get the hint.

"Well, then . . . I think we'd possibly get on." So . . . we haven't before?

"So?"

"So can you at least tell me?"

"Well, that's right. But you know, if you weren't a prince, I'd tell you to mind your own damn business."

"Merlin." You're exasperated? Ugh. "Are you missing Gaius?" Now he's patronizing me. Great. I rolled my eyes.

"Something like that."

"Well, what is it, then?" He threw a pillow and hit me in the head. Nice.

"I'll tell you." _You really want to know? Really?!_ I turned over and sat up, facing him. "I found something out that I should have known all along."

He sat up too. "It can't be that bad," he scoffed.

"Oh I think your father would disagree." Gee Arthur, what does your father hate most?

Now he was puzzled. "What is it?"

Gaius's words ran through my head: _"Merlin, whatever happens, you must not let Arthur know who this man is. Uther would view the son of a dragonlord with the deepest suspicion." _ Yes, _Uther_ would, but would Arthur? What did he know about dragonlords? I could usually bank on his ignorance, could I do so now? What the hell, why not?

"The dragonlord- Balinor -is my father." Arthur's mouth fell open and he didn't move. About what I expected. "I didn't even know my father's name until Gaius brought it up in council. When we got back to his chambers he asked me if I'd heard the name before. Of course I hadn't; my mother never said anything about my father! Then he told me."

Arthur appeared to comprehend. He'd closed his mouth, at any rate. I watched as a thought appeared in his eyes and slowly made its way down to his mouth. "So Balinor is your father? And you never knew? And we're on our way to find him. Wow, awkward."

"So I confess about my father and his 'illegal' profession, and all you can say is _awkward_?"

"Well, it is. And how is being a dragonlord illegal? Unless there's magic invol . . ." He suddenly clamped his mouth shut. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I don't know if magic is involved. But your father suspects it. Why do you think there's only one left?" He looked at me, nonplussed. "You asked! And I decided to tell you. I'm sick and tired of holding that secret in. You wouldn't leave me alone. You just _had_ to know."

He looked at me as if to say, "who, me?" then shook his head. "Sooooo, I'm gonna ask the obvious questions: what does that make you? Are you a dragonlord too? Do you have magic?"

I stared at him and swallowed hard. My heartbeat sped up. What to tell him? If I took too long I'd look guilty. So I decided to go with partial truth, "Um, I don't know, no and no. I honestly don't know much about dragonlords." It's not like the dragon would have told me either.

"Neither do I." And there's the relief I've been waiting for.

"So add that knowledge to the fact that I'm about to meet the father I've never known, not to mention I'm still worried about everyone back in Camelot . . ." And was betrayed by that evil overgrown lizard _I_ had released.

He held up both his hands to stop me. "Whoa, I get it. That's a lot of stress. Meeting a possibly magical father for the first time to try to talk him into killing one of his friends. Yikes."

I gave him a withering glare. "Thanks. Can I go to bed now?" Maybe I could actually sleep now that that was out of my head. And he took it better than I thought.

"Yeah, but first- I just wanted you to know that I'm not holding you responsible or judging you for what your father's done or who he is. I know that sons are not necessarily like their fathers." Speaking from experience, Arthur?

"Wow Arthur, that's really mature of you. Thanks." I said sincerely. That was surprising; maybe there was hope for him. Maybe I could tell him the other secret sooner than I thought . . .

"Of course I hope you don't have any other deep secrets. I don't really want to hurt you. You've rather grown on me, like a fungus."

. . . Or not. This "fungus" would prefer not to be executed. I rolled my eyes again. "Goodnight Arthur."

"Goodnight _Mer_lin," he answered cheerily. We both settled down.

My last thought before falling asleep was, _I hope we find him_.

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**Thanks for reading. I do appreciate reviews! :)**


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